The Ultimate Art Of War by Antony Cummins

According to the subtitle, this book is “a step-by-step illustrated guide to Sun Tzu’s teachings.” Sun Tzu’s ancient Chinese book, The Art Of War, is perhaps the most important book on warfare strategy ever written. It is believed to have been written in the fifth century BC, although no one knows for sure. Sun Tzu’s strategic principles have been applied not only to its intended target of warfare but also to business, sports, management, and politics. Generals who have drawn inspiration from its pages include Napoleon, MacArther and Patton.

Antony Cummins does an excellent job of making Sun Tzu’s teachings easy to read and understand. The original text is in Chinese, and translators differ on how some concepts should be understood. Mr. Cummins presents the different opinions while highlighting his preferred translation.

The format Mr. Cummins uses is clear and informative. For each of Sun Tzu’s “scrolls”, an introduction is given, then we have the teaching of Sun Tzu, followed by short lessons applying the teaching and finally a quick “War Tip” summary of the lesson. Because Sun Tzu’s teachings have been studied and applied often, many things he says have passed into the realm of common sense.

Common sense War Tips include things like:
Obtain a detailed map of enemy territory and be realistic about how easily troops will be able to manoeuvre,
A well-trained army will always be ready but act like it is not,
Induce an enemy force to move from a strong position to a weaker one so that you can take advantage of the changed situation.

If you have often heard of The Art Of War but never actually read it, this is a great, well-written book to explain it. It will also make great reading for novelists who want to plot battle scenes.

Purchase your copy from Amazon here.